Slash Zamber
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| |
| Henshin! | |
| Slash Zamber | |
| Player: @Cronocke | |
| Origin: | Technology |
|---|---|
| Archetype: | Scrapper |
| Security Level: | Confidential |
| Personal Data | |
| Real Name: | Tetsuya Ryuuzaki, 竜崎鉄也 |
| Known Aliases: | ZINRAI System User 001, ネオザンバー第1号 |
| Species: | Human |
| Age: | 24 |
| Height: | 5'9” |
| Weight: | 136 lbs. |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Biographical Data | |
| Nationality: | Japanese, Nationalized American |
| Occupation: | Graduate Student, part time work on the side |
| Place of Birth: | Tokyo, Japan |
| Base of Operations: | Paragon City |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Known Relatives: | Shin'ichi Ryuuzaki, father, Zamber Project Head at DATA; Yurika Ryuuzaki, elder sister, Paragon Times reporter; Madoka Ryuuzaki, mother, housewife; other family members back in Japan |
| Known Powers | |
| Nano-Regenerative Armor, Superhuman Attack Strength | |
| Known Abilities | |
| Limited training in several martial arts, particularly with single-handed swords and ki manipulation | |
| Equipment | |
| Zamber Belt, Shining Blade | |
| This document is restricted to FBSA agents, field operatives, and their various branch equivalents of Security Level 20 or higher. Unauthorized viewing of this document will be penalized, in accordance with the federal guidelines outlined in document 1.A.337-D-12. | |
Contents |
Introduction
In the early 1970's, a hero arose in Japan. Surgically and cybernetically modified to possess great strength and agility, and created by a mysterious terrorist organization to be their secret weapon, he nonetheless resisted their brainwashing and turned against them. Though he toppled their leaders and weakened their criminal power, they were not fully destroyed until decades later when the Rikti, in preparation for their then-impending war against humanity, annihilated the organization and took over their bases and strongholds. In the time between this hero's victory and the onset of the Rikti War, several other such heroes arose, fighting their own battles against other enemies to Japan and the world. When the war broke out, they banded together in defense of their nation, along with other, more organized squads of heroes in the country. Though many of these heroes died, their examples inspired future generations, and modern scientists.
They inspired this.
Personality
Before he took the original Zamber belt into battle, Tetsuya Ryuuzaki was a fairly ordinary young man. He left the heroics to the real heroes, and used his skills and wits to help people get away from the dangerous parts of town. This all changed when his father sent him a letter from Paragon City, inviting him to come visit and see the historic city that stood at the center of the two Rikti Invasions. Now, though he remains hopeful for the future, he must fight to ensure that the dreams of humanity are never wiped away!
History
Tetsuya Ryuuzaki's family moved to America when the boy was only 7. His father took his pet project, the ZINRAI System, to the American government to gain their assistance in refining what was then only a theorem and some blueprints. While Tetsuya's father shared his work with the best scientists in the Department of Advanced Technological Application, the boy studied in school and learned about his world, his new homeland, and the culture there. He grew into a strong and heartfelt lad, and though his teenage years were not as rebellious as some, he did prove hardheaded at times.
Early in 2002, however, the world changed. The Rikti, having been planning for ages, finally began their war against humanity. It was only through a fluke of fate that the Ryuuzaki family happened to be back in Japan, visiting friends and family at the time. As Tetsuya's father prepared to demonstrate the new prototype ZINRAI System to the JDSF for funding, and possibly mass-production, the Rikti portals opened across the world. They were thus spared from the destruction that rained down on Paragon City, but they still had to endure the battles raging in their ancestral home. Tetsuya quickly grew restless, and stole the prototype Zamber Belt from his father, taking it into battle against the Rikti alongside the very heroes that had inspired its creation. He was vastly outmatched by the Rikti, but before tragedy could fall upon him, several more experienced heroes came to his rescue. The heroes then convinced the brash young boy to return to his family, which he reluctantly did. He even apologized to his father for his recklessness. Tetsuya's father was, fortunately, a forgiving man, and his only punishment was to reclaim the belt and hide it away better this time.
When the war ended and the world began to rebuild, Tetsuya remained in Japan to study at Tokyo University, and aid the survivors there. His family returned to Paragon City to help their new, adoptive home overseas. Tetsuya's time in Japan's more structured society proved somewhat beneficial, forging out some of the brashness and making him much less prone to rude outbursts. He trained his body, as well, for although he had been taught by now that he was no superhero, he could still help in smaller ways. When criminals attacked innocents, he alerted nearby police, and helped the victims escape; for this, speed was very handy. He even learned some martial arts, to keep himself from being attacked by the same thugs that would harm others; for this, strength was very handy. And so, while he couldn't be called a superhero, he became something of a guardian to the students on campus.
After intense study and training, Tetsuya graduated from college, and transferred back to Paragon City for a graduate degree in photojournalism. Unfortunately, fate would strike again, as shortly upon returning, and meeting back up with his family after several years, the Rikti invaded again. As Tetsuya struggled to help a young child escape the burning wreckage that was her family's apartment building only a little while ago, his eyes caught on another couple. A young woman was on her knees, crying her heart out, shaking the unresponsive body that was once her boyfriend.
Tetsuya had finally seen enough.
He took the little girl to be with her mother and father again, and rushed into the DATA offices in Galaxy Park. When he came out again, moments later, he had the new, improved Zamber Belt around his waist. With a cry of “Henshin!” he cast aside his notions of being normal. He would protect these people. He would protect their dreams, their hopes, their happiness itself. He would never let any monster or villain drive them to tears while he could stop it.
He was a superhero after all.
Technological Information
The state-of-the-art Zamber Interchangeable Nano-Regenerative Armor Interface System, or more commonly ZINRAI System, is able to generate and store several different types of subatomic particles, each with a specific and limited effect. The armor may be worn by anyone, but training in some form of martial arts significantly increases the abilities the suit may generate. Recovered Rikti and Kheldian technology has improved the belt to convert an unidentified form of life energy, which for simplicity's sake DATA is referring to as “ki”, into these subatomic particles. To generate the armor, a user must first attach a buckle to the mount on the front. This done, he or she would then fasten the belt around his or her waist, and concentrate his or her ki into the buckle. As it begins to glow and hum, the user should then brace him or herself, as a release of subatomic particles swirls to form the suit around the wearer. Test subjects have described the process as “tingly” or “unnerving” but reported no lasting ill effects. The armor can be generated without focusing the wearer's ki, but this results in a severely depleted, bulky form of the armor with weakened attacks and a much less powerful quantum generator. Conversely, if enough ki is fed into the belt by a practiced user or an emotional outburst, it is theorized that more powerful forms of the armor could be generated, but data on this is limited at this time. It has been theorized that an unskilled user could be drained too quickly of their ki by the belt in these greater forms, and possibly overexert or even kill themselves attempting to use it, but this has not been replicated in testing.
Zamber Belt
- Belt Details: This device consists of a frontal mount, to which can be attached any of the many interchangeable Genesis Buckles, a length of metal and connecting synthetic fibers for the main belt, and two buttons on rectangular boxes on the sides of the hips. The Genesis Buckles all share the same (or a similar) basic appearance, but differ in coloration and minor detail. (It should be noted that the armor generated by these buckles can vary wildly, though they usually relate to the color of the buckle in some way.) A belt without a buckle attached cannot generate any form of the Zamber armor, as the programmed data and for generating the armor is stored in these buckles.
- Genesis Buckle: This device, designed in the appearance of a large belt buckle, converts the wearer's ki to tachyons, chronitons, and other quantum particles that are used to power the suit's various attacks and abilities. It is designed to be attached to this or any similar belt, allowing for different belts to be made for different people, with interchangeable buckles.
- Buckle Color: Gold
- Temporal Accelerator: On the right side of the belt there can be found one of two boxes, with a button on it. Pressed by itself, this temporarily releases a controlled stream of chroniton particles into the suit, temporarily shifting it and the wearer's perception of space-time. To an outside observer, it appears as though the suit is moving faster, attacking faster. The wearer, however, sees the world slow down around them. When this stream is focused into the arms, it builds in the fists, creating a visible yellow glow.
- Tachyon Booster: On the left side of the belt, the second box and button allow for the release of tachyon pulses into several small rockets on the boots. At lower settings, the rockets allow for increased jump height and speed, but on higher settings the boots can give the wearer full flight capabilities.
Zamber Armor
- Armor Details: Constructed out of a soft, synthetic polymer fabric interleaved with thin strands of impervium, the Zamber suit is extremely lightweight in Slashing form, and its enhanced strength and stamina allow for speeds far exceeding normal human ability. Vital organs and other important body parts are protected with an alloy of kamium and impervium known as “zanite”, which has a texture and weight similar to plastic, yet retains the amazing, durable properties of impervium.
- Zamber Boots: The boots of the Zamber armor are fitted with rockets, allowing the wearer to soar or hover through the air with the relative ease of other costumed heroes, or alternately operating at lower power to increase the maximum height and speed of the wearer's leaps. On the system's first use in Depleted Form, and any subsequent uses of this mode, the boots (along with the gloves and shoulder pads) are replaced with much bulkier, heavier boots that prevent flight, boosted jumps, or increased speed.
Shining Blade
- Weapon Analysis: The main part of the sword is an ornate, two-pronged zanite device with openings on the outsides of the long prongs. Upon activation, these openings generate tachyon blades capable of cutting through literally anything, even impervium, given sufficient force and time. Fortunately, it takes so long for it to cut through impervium and its alloys that as long as the sword is periodically serviced, it should never break down or self-destruct.
Finishers
Zamber Kick
After emitting a tachyon pulse down the suit's leg(s) and into the sole of one or both boots, Slash can perform a powerful kick, either jumping or standing. While the damage of this attack is not as great as some of his other finishers, it was an iconic ability of Japan's first superhero, and thus deemed necessary if only for tradition's sake.
- Powers Used: Build Up + Kick
- Powers Used (Variation): Build Up + Jump Kick
Hurricane Thunderclap
Concentrating the belt's tachyons into the (Neo) Shining Blade, Slash swings the weapon in a wide circle around himself. The strike deals formidable blows to any enemies caught by the sword, strong enough to cleave weaker adversaries in half.
- Powers Used: Build Up + Whirling Sword
Zamber Slash
By concentrating to direct the stored tachyons in the Zamber belt along his arm and into the (Neo) Shining Blade, Slash is able to bring the sword down onto an enemy with power so great the concussive force damages enemies who stand too close to the target.
- Powers Used: Build Up + Headsplitter
OOC Notes
I have no shame.
I mean... hello! My online handle is Cronocke, and I'm the creator of this extensive, loving homage to (as if it wasn't obvious) Kamen Rider. I have tried to cram in as many references and injokes as I possibly can without going into blatant plagiarism territory. Not only is that against the TOS, it's also something I'd never intentionally do. It shows a lack of creativity, and I'd hate to be accused of that. This character most directly references the Heisei-era Kamen Rider shows, from Kuuga to Decade. Someday, I hope to bring Masked Zamber to life, as a more direct homage to the very first Kamen Rider, but I'm in no real hurry to do this.
Further "research" into the tokusatsu genre has provided even more inspiration for the character, from the shows Madan Senki Ryukendo, Uchuu Keiji Gavan, and more.
If anyone reading this feels curious at all - perhaps inspired to develop a Zamber of his or her own, created through technology, an magical artifact, a bizarre mutation, or scientific experimentation - let me know! It'd be fun to have a new Zamber to interact with, and perhaps we could help each other work on character relation, naming, or even tips for gameplay. (I'm quite new to the game, as of April 2009.)
It has also come to my attention that there exists some anime out there with a sword that has a “Zamber form.” This character is not a reference to that - in truth, I discovered this only after making the character, and the discovery had me briefly considering renaming the character. Ultimately, I've decided to leave the name alone, as they should be different enough to avoid confusion. It does, however, lend credence to the use of “Zamber” in the name of a Japanese superhero, when a Japanese show uses the word.
